As the 2012 campaign season bursts into bloom writing for a political candidate, or in support of a candidate will become more and more important. This year, more than any other in our nations history, much depends on the outcome of local, state, and national elections.
Will we be a socialist nanny state? Will capitalism give way to something else? Will state taxes be raised? Will your town vote to replace a bridge, build a firehouse, repair a school?
These questions, and others much like them, affect each and every one of us. Having your say in how things turn out can depend on your ability to write.
The Electorate
In the audience of any politician, or candidate, there are only three people you need to consider, and only one you need to write for.
- Those who will not vote for you, and cannot be convinced to vote for you.
- Those will vote for you, no matter what.
- Those who are undecided.
There is no point in writing for those who won't ever vote for you. Likewise, those who need no urging to vote for you. As far as convincing them to vote for you is concerned, writing for either is a waste of time and resources.
It is number three, the undecided, where you put your efforts, for there lies success or failure. In this game, like all others, numbers count.
Demographics
People vote their self interest. So, you must know what is important to every demographic that is important to you. The larger the base of voters, the more demographics you will need to contend with, of course. But, no matter the demographics, we all vote alone. So, write for the individual with words that speak to that individual. It's up to you, as a writer, to show and convince voters that your candidate is the best one to represent his or her needs.
Your opinion? Just click on the title of this post.
